Hypnosis for distress around medical procedures (Tefikow 2013)

A meta-analysis of 34 randomized trials (n = 2,597) found moderate effects on distress (Hedges' g = 0.53) and pain (g = 0.44). For general, everyday stress the evidence is markedly weaker and equivocal.

A plain-language summary from binaural's reading notes, edited by Jude Mc. Last updated 10 November 2026. Not medical advice.

The question: Do hypnosis and guided imagery reduce distress and pain in adults undergoing surgery or medical procedures?

What it found

• Across 34 randomized trials (n = 2,597), hypnosis reduced distress (Hedges' g = 0.53) and pain (g = 0.44) in adults undergoing surgery or medical procedures.
• A separate 2025 analysis (Lahoud and colleagues) of 142 studies and 9,238 patients found pre-operative anxiety reduced by SMD −0.76, with moderate certainty.
• Brain-imaging work reports a genuine, if inconsistent, neural signature of hypnosis.
• For general, everyday stress the evidence is markedly weaker; Fisch et al. (2017) concluded effectiveness "remains unclear".

Limits

• The interventions cannot be blinded, so the placebo component is hard to isolate.
• Trial pools are small, heterogeneity is high and publication bias is under-assessed.
• Hypnotizability varies widely between people.

Where this sits

More in the library on anxiety and stress. For the wider picture, read Binaural beats for anxiety.

This is our plain-language reading of the paper. It is not medical advice, and one study rarely settles a question.